I snack sometimes. When I was very successful losing weight and the model I have just returned to I gave myself 500 am calories, 500 pm calories, 500 dinner calories. So if I filled the calorie limit i had to wait. Also tried to make the snacks healthy not empty calories. I know I felt better when I followed this model so I am looking to that model to lose again.
I used to snack a lot, believing that I absolutely needed it to control my blood sugar. Since getting on a food plan that keeps my blood sugar stable, I no longer need to snack. Do I get hungry between meals? Sometimes. But I know now that snacking is not necessary. I can sit with hunger now, something I had never been able to do in all my meal-snack-meal-snack-snack-snack-meal life!
I often need to snack in the afternoon. I'm self-employed and mostly, I tutor groups of kids or teach Business English. Tutoring the kids demands a lot of concentration and if I don't have a snack at all, I get so hungry my stomach starts getting quite loud which I find embarassing. Bus I have snacked more than I should have in the past, and the wrong things. Depending on the day and on how exhausting the lessons are, I might have a low-calorie cereal bar, a banana or an apple or 1/2 sandwich with peanut butter and jam. The latter I really need on Fridays because I have a very difficult boy in my group who completely exhausts me and I really notice how the lesson with him drains me.
I agree with the previous posts that say it depends on the person. I personally prefer snacking. I like to have a small snack between breakfast and lunch and another between lunch and dinner. I keeps me from overeating at meal times!
I recently decided to stop snacking. I bought into the idea that you should plan regular snacks to avoid getting too hungry forever! I had a "healthy" snack drawer at work and snacked more than I should have out of boredom, or just because they were there. Since stopping the snacks, I've found I enjoy larger meals and I don't get as hungry between meals, so I don't need the snacks.
I'm not opposed to snacking and I'll do it still if I know I'm going to have a late dinner, for example. And for people who can keep snacking under control I think it can be great. Unfortunately I'm not one of those people!
I try not to snack. But we all have emergencies. Then I go for a healthy snack. Nuts are king. Especially unsalted almonds, walnuts and the like.
Loads of calories but don't make you fat. Freaky eh?
Or seafood. I might reach for a can of smoked oysters or cockles from time to time to.
But I don't snack for the sake of it. Only if I am hungry and can't make it through to the next meal. Typically late nights might do that to me as I skip dinner.
I've had success with 2-3 full meals, as well as 3 square meals with 1 or 2 snacks in between. So, I'd say whatever works best for the individual, at that point in their life. It works now, but you may need to switch it up. Likewise if you change it, you might find yourself going back to it :-)
this is my gosh darned with sprinkles on top question every single day. to snack or not to snack. to eat or not to eat. to eat that or to eat salad? each time when I am dieting it seems that it all starts fine, but a few days later and I can't resist anymore... dieting seems the MOST HARD thing in my life, EVER!
I'm one of those people who can be fine without eating but once I start eating, I don't want to stop. No off switch. But I keep some low calorie things on hand to snack on just in case--cucumbers, lightly sauteed cabbage, jicama sticks, etc.
